Alumni of the VCU Department of Dance & Choreography

Leslie Kraus (2003) was featured in January, 2009 as one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” for the coming year. Kraus dances with Kate Weare Company and her image recently appeared on the cover of the New York City Center’s “Fall for Dance” festival program.

Jason Akira Somma (2003) is the first American to receive the Rolex Mentor Protegé Arts Initiative Grant, which pairs him with major international choreographer Jiri Kylian (Resident Choreographer and former Artistic Director of the Nederlands Dans Theater for mentoring, for the next two years.
Hunter Carter (2005) has been apprenticing with Shen Wei Dance Arts, and was featured in a company photograph advertising a performance at Lincoln Center.
Rob Petres (1992) was awarded a 2009 Theresa Pollak Prize for Excellence in the Arts for his work with Dogtown Dance Theatre and Ground Zero Dance.
Ray Schwartz (1992) was named Director of the Dance program at the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico, where he has also spearheaded the Performatica dance festival for the part three years. Among the VCU Dance alums who participated in the 2009 Performatica included Schwartz, Rob Petres (1992), Jason Akira Somma (2003), Rachael Shaw (2005), and Megan Harrold (2007).
Richard Move’s (1988), short film “Bardo,” commissioned by the Martha Graham Dance Company, was nominated for the 2009 Dance on Camera Jury Prize as part of the 37th Annual Internationally Touring Dance on Camera Festival, co-sponsored by the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Alum Adrienne Clancy’s (1991) ClancyWorks Dance Company is now in its eighth season, working in the Metro-Washington, DC area. During 2008-2009, ClancyWorks performed at venues around the country, including New Mexico, Georgia, Texas, and throughout the Washington, DC metro area.
Samantha Speis (2005) has become a full company member with the New York-based Urban Bush Women. Speis also had her own work presented at Danspace St. Mark’s Church in New York during fall, 2008.
Drew Kaiser and Ligia Lewis continue to present and perform their work in Berlin, Germany.
Matt Rogers (2002) is now performing with the acclaimed ensemble Tere O’Connor Dance, and received a favorable mention in a review of Mr. O’Connor’s newest work, “Rammed Earth” in the New York Times, September 29, 2008.
Charles Scott (2002) continues to perform with the celebrated, New York-based, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company.
A group of VCU Dance alums, including Courtney Cooke (2007), Eleanor Smith (2007), Rachel Warren (2008), and Megan Zander (2006) performed and presented their work at Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn, NY during October, 2008.
Co-artistic Director of Ground Zero Dance (GZD) Rob Petres (BFA 1992) performed with company member Kathleen Legault their duet, “Poor Edward” as part of the Live Arts Dance Festival in Charlottesville during January, 2009. C-ville Weekly editor (and former Dance Magazine writer) Cathy Harding said that GZD’s work “serves as a reminder of how dance, when it works, tells us something—informs us about relationships and sensations.”
Sarah Ferguson (2005) currently works as Education Administrator at the Richmond Ballet and has established a thriving freelance dance photography career. She was featured in the “Beyond Performance” supplement to the August, 2008 issue of Dance Magazine.
Alums and current students who worked with Ana King’s Latin Ballet of Virginia in 2008/2009 include LaWanda Raines, Erin Mitchell, Kevin Jones, Nadine Azoulay, and Megan Harrold.
Rachael Shaw (2005) has been accepted to the MFA program in Dance at University of Utah. Rachel Hunter (2005) has been accepted to the MFA program in Dance at Florida State University, with a concentration in Dance Production. During 2008-2009, both Shaw and Hunter presented their own dance works at venues around Virginia as performing company, R Squared.
Cara Clark (2005) is currently pursuing her MFA in Film & Video Production at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro
Nicolle Wasserman (2005) currently works as Director of School Administration and Student Affairs at the American Dance Festival .







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Alumni News VCU Dance ALUMNI 2008-2009 Leslie Kraus (2003) was featured in January, 2009 as one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” for the coming year. Kraus dances with Kate Weare Company and her image recently appeared on the cover of the New York City Center’s “Fall for Dance” festival program. Jason Akira Somma (2003) is the first American to receive the Rolex Mentor Protegé Arts Initiative Grant, which pairs him with major international choreographer Jiri Kylian (Resident Choreographer and former Artistic Director of the Nederlands Dans Theater for mentoring, for the next two years. Hunter Carter (2005) has been apprenticing with Shen Wei Dance Arts, and was featured in a company photograph advertising a performance at Lincoln Center. Rob Petres (1992) was awarded a 2009 Theresa Pollak Prize for Excellence in the Arts for his work with Dogtown Dance Theatre and Ground Zero Dance. Ray Schwartz (1992) was named Director of the Dance program at the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico, where he has also spearheaded the Performatica dance festival for the part three years. Among the VCU Dance alums who participated in the 2009 Performatica included Schwartz, Rob Petres (1992), Jason Akira Somma (2003), Rachael Shaw (2005), and Megan Harrold (2007). Richard Move’s (1988), short film “Bardo,” commissioned by the Martha Graham Dance Company, was nominated for the 2009 Dance on Camera Jury Prize as part of the 37th Annual Internationally Touring Dance on Camera Festival, co-sponsored by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Alum Adrienne Clancy’s (1991) ClancyWorks Dance Company is now in its eighth season, working in the Metro-Washington, DC area. During 2008-2009, ClancyWorks performed at venues around the country, including New Mexico, Georgia, Texas, and throughout the Washington, DC metro area. Samantha Speis (2005) has become a full company member with the New York-based Urban Bush Women. Speis also had her own work presented at Danspace St. Mark’s Church in New York during fall, 2008. Drew Kaiser and Ligia Lewis continue to present and perform their work in Berlin, Germany. Matt Rogers (2002) is now performing with the acclaimed ensemble Tere O’Connor Dance, and received a favorable mention in a review of Mr. O’Connor’s newest work, “Rammed Earth” in the New York Times, September 29, 2008. Charles Scott (2002) continues to perform with the celebrated, New York-based, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. A group of VCU Dance alums, including Courtney Cooke (2007), Eleanor Smith (2007), Rachel Warren (2008), and Megan Zander (2006) performed and presented their work at Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn, NY during October, 2008. Co-artistic Director of Ground Zero Dance (GZD) Rob Petres (BFA 1992) performed with company member Kathleen Legault their duet, “Poor Edward” as part of the Live Arts Dance Festival in Charlottesville during January, 2009. C-ville Weekly editor (and former Dance Magazine writer) Cathy Harding said that GZD’s work “serves as a reminder of how dance, when it works, tells us something—informs us about relationships and sensations.” Sarah Ferguson (2005) currently works as Education Administrator at the Richmond Ballet and has established a thriving freelance dance photography career. She was featured in the “Beyond Performance” supplement to the August, 2008 issue of Dance Magazine. Alums and current students who worked with Ana King’s Latin Ballet of Virginia in 2008/2009 include LaWanda Raines, Erin Mitchell, Kevin Jones, Nadine Azoulay, and Megan Harrold. Rachael Shaw (2005) has been accepted to the MFA program in Dance at University of Utah. Rachel Hunter (2005) has been accepted to the MFA program in Dance at Florida State University, with a concentration in Dance Production. During 2008-2009, both Shaw and Hunter presented their own dance works at venues around Virginia as performing company, R Squared. Cara Clark (2005) is currently pursuing her MFA in Film & Video Production at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro Nicolle Wasserman (2005) currently works as Director of School Administration and Student Affairs at the American Dance Festival .
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